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My Visit to Troops in Afghanistan

Posted by James Plaskitt, MP for Warwick and Leamington, at 15:41, Fri 17 July 2009:

I have just returned from a four-day visit to British troops in Helmand province, Afghanistan. You can read all about my visit at http://www.jamesplaskitt.com, and see some exclusive photographs of daily life around Camp Bastion.

I did not vote for the Iraq war because I did not think the case for war was made. But I supported our mission in Afghanistan from the very start.

Knowing that my votes in Parliament have contributed to sending young men and women to the front line, I felt that I needed to see the situation for myself. I was particularly concerned about suggestions that our troops aren't getting the equipment they need, and that our mission was losing direction. I wanted the opportunity to raise these questions with ordinary soldiers so that I could speak up for them back in Parliament.

I arrived just as Operation Panther's Claw was getting underway. This is a major offensive operation to flush out the Taleban from their Helmand stronghold. It turned out to be one of the deadliest weeks for British forces since the Falklands War.

But straight away I was hugely impressed by the 'can do' attitude of British soldiers. Many of them had volunteered to go to Afghanistan and were back for their second tour of duty. As I struggled with my body armour in the 46 degree heat, the troops explained to me in great detail exactly what they were doing on a day-to-day basis, as well as the developing situation on the front line.

In the mess hall, away from their commanding officers, I asked the troops whether they felt they had the support they needed. While they all said they would happily have more new kit, everyone I spoke to told me that they had been given the equipment they needed to get the job done. They read the newspapers from back home, and they had little time for the "armchair generals" as they called them. "Fact is we've got better kit here than we've ever had in previous conflicts", said one long-serving soldier.

There's a strong recognition among troops there that no amount of helicopters or armour will prevent lives being lost. The troops I met were doing door-to-door searches, and sometimes engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. You can't do these things from the belly of a tank.

They expressed some frustration at the poor understanding of their mission back in the UK. This is something that I think the Government needs to do more on - we've got to be open and frank about the reality of the war on the ground. We need to keep pressing home exactly what it is that we are trying to achieve, so that the public and the troops share a sense of purpose. I raised these points in a Parliamentary debate on Afghanistan on Thursday last week.

We have difficult and complex fight in Southern Afghanistan, but it is essential that we maintain our resolve. If we leave the job half-done, it will only be a matter of time before terrorist groups move back in to plot their attacks against Britain. The British troops there know it, and they are doing a truly outstanding job.

To see my photo essay of Life in Camp Bastion visit my website at http://www.jamesplaskitt.com.